Mechanical Shutter vs Electronic Shutter... ?

watchingskyfallatm · 01-11-2015, 06:32 PM

So my main stills camera, (a Panasonic GH4), shoots in burst mode at 12 fps, OR 40 fps if you use the electronic shutter. The only apparent drawback in doing this is that it can't shoot raw at that speed, only jpeg. Which is fine for the stuff that I shoot.

However, I'm curious - are there any disadvantages in shooting with the electronic shutter instead of the mechanical one? I.e. are the photos going to look any different? And if not - then why do mechanical shutters still exist, shouldn't everything just be electronic? Less moving parts, no noise, etc?

Ole · 01-11-2015, 06:59 PM

Image quality suffers with an electronic shutter (the "rolling shutter" effect) in case of moving objects as wonderfully illustrated in the Wikipedia article on the subject - note the swept-back rotor:

A mechanical focal plane shutter (like in our DSLRs) can, however, produce a similar, but much less pronounced, effect...

A leaf shutter (in-lens shutter) doesn't exhibit this effect at all.

watchingskyfallatm · 01-11-2015, 11:43 PM

Originally posted by Ole

Image quality suffers with an electronic shutter (the "rolling shutter" effect) in case of moving objects as wonderfully illustrated in the Wikipedia article on the subject - note the swept-back rotor:

A mechanical focal plane shutter (like in our DSLRs) can, however, produce a similar, but much less pronounced, effect...

A leaf shutter (in-lens shutter) doesn't exhibit this effect at all.

Damn, that's actually a really cool photo haha. Ok so what you're saying is that there's an increased likelihood of a rolling shutter effect if you're using an electronic shutter? Is that the only drawback?

EDIT: Thanks for the response btw!

kshapero · 01-07-2018, 06:59 AM

Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this.

BrianR · 01-07-2018, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by kshapero

Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this.

There are plenty of examples on the web, this page has a decent description and a simple animation of a figure running across a screen near the bottom of the page: Everything You Wanted To Know About Rolling Shutter - DIY Photography

You can get a fan or a record player, or other moving thing and try a few photos for yourself. If you don't have a camera with an electronic shutter, many (probably most) smartphones will also suffer from this rolling shutter effect.

edit- a nice animation here too: https://petapixel.com/2017/06/30/rolling-shutter-effect-works/

**Rondec** · 01-07-2018, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by kshapero

Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this.

I think you get it most with rapid action. Clackers had a couple of examples he posted, I think with bike racing, where the riders looked quite distorted because of this effect. If you are taking photos of a relatively still scene you wouldn't see this.

Gimbal · 01-11-2018, 07:23 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

If you are taking photos of a relatively still scene you wouldn't see this.

Unless you are hand holding and are a little shaky.

01-11-2015, 06:32 PM	#1
watchingskyfallatm Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 61	Mechanical Shutter vs Electronic Shutter... ? So my main stills camera, (a Panasonic GH4), shoots in burst mode at 12 fps, OR 40 fps if you use the electronic shutter. The only apparent drawback in doing this is that it can't shoot raw at that speed, only jpeg. Which is fine for the stuff that I shoot. However, I'm curious - are there any disadvantages in shooting with the electronic shutter instead of the mechanical one? I.e. are the photos going to look any different? And if not - then why do mechanical shutters still exist, shouldn't everything just be electronic? Less moving parts, no noise, etc?

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01-11-2015, 06:59 PM	#2
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,409	Image quality suffers with an electronic shutter (the "rolling shutter" effect) in case of moving objects as wonderfully illustrated in the Wikipedia article on the subject - note the swept-back rotor: A mechanical focal plane shutter (like in our DSLRs) can, however, produce a similar, but much less pronounced, effect... A leaf shutter (in-lens shutter) doesn't exhibit this effect at all.

01-11-2015, 11:43 PM	#3
watchingskyfallatm Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 61 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ole Image quality suffers with an electronic shutter (the "rolling shutter" effect) in case of moving objects as wonderfully illustrated in the Wikipedia article on the subject - note the swept-back rotor: A mechanical focal plane shutter (like in our DSLRs) can, however, produce a similar, but much less pronounced, effect... A leaf shutter (in-lens shutter) doesn't exhibit this effect at all. Damn, that's actually a really cool photo haha. Ok so what you're saying is that there's an increased likelihood of a rolling shutter effect if you're using an electronic shutter? Is that the only drawback? EDIT: Thanks for the response btw!

01-07-2018, 06:59 AM	#4
kshapero Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Florida, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 437	Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this.

01-07-2018, 10:40 AM	#5
BrianR Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,332	Originally posted by kshapero Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this. There are plenty of examples on the web, this page has a decent description and a simple animation of a figure running across a screen near the bottom of the page: Everything You Wanted To Know About Rolling Shutter - DIY Photography You can get a fan or a record player, or other moving thing and try a few photos for yourself. If you don't have a camera with an electronic shutter, many (probably most) smartphones will also suffer from this rolling shutter effect. edit- a nice animation here too: https://petapixel.com/2017/06/30/rolling-shutter-effect-works/

01-07-2018, 12:23 PM	#6
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	Originally posted by kshapero Would like to see more examples of f a rolling shutter effect. I am not getting this. I think you get it most with rapid action. Clackers had a couple of examples he posted, I think with bike racing, where the riders looked quite distorted because of this effect. If you are taking photos of a relatively still scene you wouldn't see this.

01-11-2018, 07:23 AM	#7
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Originally posted by Rondec If you are taking photos of a relatively still scene you wouldn't see this. Unless you are hand holding and are a little shaky.